What is call forwarding?
Call forwarding is a service that allows you to forward incoming calls to any phone number you choose. It’s a great option if you want to forward your calls when you’re traveling for business or if you want to forward your calls to an answering service when you’re not available.
A live receptionist service can provide call forwarding for its users. The user configures the call forwarding preferences, and these instructions are transmitted from the live receptionist service to the caller’s phone service. You can also opt for a VoIP phone service which would give you the ability to get a business phone number without purchasing a landline.
According to statistics from Deloitte, phone calls are one of the top two priority methods of communication for customers with a company.
In this article, we will see what call forwarding is and how to set up or deactivate call forwarding for use in your business.
Why Call Forwarding is Needed
There are many reasons why call forwarding can be used. When you’re in a situation where you need to be reachable but can’t take the call, you can use call forwarding to take the call and make sure that it’s taken care of.
Suppose you habitually miss calls because you’re in another room or outside. In that case, this can be especially useful because it will bring those calls to your attention while also giving you a chance to reply without interruption.
Call Forwarding Manual for Different Providers
Though call forwarding is a common calling feature, each provider has their own instructions. Hence, it’s important that you know how to set it up from your phone app for whichever provider you use. Follow the links provided below to learn them in detail:
Benefits of Call Forwarding to a Live Receptionist
Receptionists are trained to answer questions, field concerns, and provide guidance to customers. Answering the desk phone is just one of the many responsibilities receptionists have to help a company operate smoothly. The same could be said for call forwarding. Here are more key benefits:
Improved Customer Experience
One of the biggest benefits of call forwarding to a live receptionist is how much it improves customer experience. This is not new, as businesses have been doing this for a long time. When you pick up the phone system and hear a real voice on the other end, you instinctively feel like someone is truly there to help you with your business needs.
While many people appreciate the convenience of voicemail, those who want immediate assistance know that picking up their mobile devices, be it an iPhone or Android phone and hearing a warm voice on the other end can make all the difference in getting an immediate answer or resolution to their problems. This can vastly increase customer satisfaction, which leads to repeat sales and referrals.
Increases Availability for Your Team
Call forwarding is one way to give your team greater visibility and accessibility. Often, when you forward calls to a live receptionist instead of letting them go directly to voicemail, team members can be reached more easily and with less effort. This can help reduce no-shows and no answers at scheduled appointments because clients can get quicker responses from their service providers.
Forwarding calls to a live receptionist is also an effective way to cut down on costs for your company. If you have multiple locations, having a dedicated phone line for each location can end up being quite expensive, especially if you need those lines for other purposes as well.
Less Pressure on Your Employees
We all know how important it is to give your employees time off. Still, when you rely on call forwarding to a live receptionist to manage your business, you don’t have to worry about them running out of vacation days. Call forwarding with live receptionists means you can take care of your customers while still giving your employees the time they need.
You even have the call forwarding option to turn on custom calls for more personalized addressing, or setting up a do not disturb if you don’t want to be bothered and left to work alone. If you choose to use call forwarding with live receptionists, then you can rest easy knowing that your business will still be running smoothly.
Expand Your Business Hours
One thing that can set a business apart from its competition is the number of hours it’s open. That’s why an increasingly popular option for businesses that want to offer customers more access to their services is call forwarding, which allows people to reach your business still even when you’re closed.
With call forwarding, calls from unknown telephone numbers or those not in your contacts list will be forwarded to a live person, who will answer and direct them accordingly. This can help your business seem more reliable and professional, as well as provide a helpful service to customers who want to reach you around the clock or across different time zones.
No More Missed Calls
Suppose your company’s mobile phone lines are so busy that callers can’t get through. In that case, you’re missing out on potential customers who could be making purchases, signing up for your services, or even leaving positive reviews online—they can even be international numbers or long distance calls.
With call routing to a live receptionist, it’s much easier to ensure that every caller gets the attention they deserve (and hopefully turn them into paying customers) by having an actual person answer the cell phone instead of an automated system.
It also allows callers to connect instantly, avoiding the disadvantages of missed calls left unattended. Plus, with bilingual virtual receptionists, customers may feel more comfortable as they feel they’re talking to someone local rather than calling a toll-free number and dealing with someone in another state or country.
Let Gabbyville Take Care of Your Calls While You’re Away
Like many small business owners, you probably have a lot going on in your life. You have to manage employees, handle the day-to-day operations of your business, and coordinate the logistics of running an office. If that isn’t enough, you may also be balancing a side project or two, so you’ve got even less time to focus on running your business than you did before.
If you’re heading out of the country or just going away on vacation and need to have your business calls forwarded to a virtual receptionist while you’re away, Gabbyville can help. Once configured, callers will be greeted by a live receptionist who can answer all their questions and connect them to the right person. It’s a great way to ensure that your clients continue to get the same high-quality service when you’re not there without adding extra staff or having anyone come in early or stay late just for your schedule.
Get started with Gabbyville now to take your business to the next level!
